Carrie Underwood Is Still Giving to Girls’ Sports Teams: ‘It’s Important to Me’

Carrie Underwood grew up playing sports in her hometown of Checotah, Okla., and she wants to help other girls do the same. Underwood's fitness and lifestyle brand, Calia, and Dick's Sporting Goods Foundation have partnered and made a $200,000 commitment to fund an estimated 100 teams across the country in the month of May, opting to use Donorschoose.org to achieve that goal.

The country superstar has stressed in the past that she believes sports help teach team building and overall confidence and especially wants to create and sustain opportunities for young female athletes.

“Sports were a big part of my life growing up, so it’s important to me that girls across the country get those same opportunities,” the superstar explains in a press release. “Through Sports Matter, Calia and the Dick's Foundation, we are empowering hundreds of girls across the country to learn, grow and dream, teaching them to do what they love later in life."

A video posted to Underwood’s social media pages in late 2016 shows Underwood returning to her hometown and meeting with three young women to talk about their sports journeys. A promo for Calia, Underwood and the three girls are shown working out, playing sports and speaking about the importance of athletics in their lives.

“Sports gives young women so many life lessons that they will carry with them forever,” Underwood says in the video. “You learn how to win, you learn how to lose. It teaches you how to be a part of a team. It teaches you how to be proud of yourself. Those are all things I learned playing softball and basketball and being part of team sports.”

Her recent pledge marks the third donation on behalf of Calia and the Dick's Foundation, as a part of its wider $500,000 commitment to support girls youth sports across the nation. Two grants were previously awarded in 2016: $100,000 to Underwood’s alma mater in Oklahoma and $100,000 to Aldine Independent School District’s Girls Athletic programs in Houston.

Lately, Underwood has been offering support to other sports teams, too — she's been spotted at Nashville Predators home games to cheer on her husband, Mike Fisher, who is the team captain. The Preds are currently in the playoffs.